


Meeting the Friendly Neighbor

by RedMoon616



Series: Matt & Mackenzie's Most Memorable Moments [12]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Crime Fighting, Established Relationship, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, Post-Season/Series 02, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Vigilantism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:29:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28457592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedMoon616/pseuds/RedMoon616
Summary: Matt and Mackenzie are having dinner on top of an abandoned building after an uneventful night of patrolling the streets. They're enjoying their quiet reprieve until a certain familiar stranger comes swinging their way. Or: Hell's Kitchen meets Queens.Twelfth part of a series of short stories contemplating the sometimes usual, but mostly unusual, life of Matt & Mackenzie. A continuation (kinda) of Daring the Devil.
Relationships: Matt Murdock/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Matt & Mackenzie's Most Memorable Moments [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607302
Kudos: 3





	Meeting the Friendly Neighbor

**Author's Note:**

> This is the twelfth and final part of a series that focuses on the everyday life of Murdock and his girlfriend Mackenzie, and how has their relationship evolved after the events of Daring the Devil (which I recommend you check out first if you haven't, to have some context and back story). Hope you enjoy!
> 
> P.D.: This fic hasn't been completely edited yet, so I apologize for any mistakes that might be found. I will update it later with as many corrections as I'm able to do.

Welcome back, how’s it going? We have been recovering little by little from Elektra’s death; it’s been tough, not gonna lie. But we have been managing, nonetheless. Well, until you count the fuck that Nelson & Murdock is in shambles, being no more, to be precise. Guess it was coming sooner or later, given all the shit that the three of them had to deal with in the past. I’m more of an “occasional collaborator” than a formal employee, so that’s why I’m not counting myself in this whole mess. Seems like a lot of shit had been accumulating on the back burner ever since before I came into the picture.

Foggy learning about Matt’s “vigilante career”, the royal fail that was Castle’s trial, the entire shit show that was dealing with the Hand (and all the times, at that). In the end, it became too much. And Elektra’s death did not help at all. I think it made Murdock snap. Anyway, the firm is now only run by Murdock as the lone attorney and I get to play the coveted role of secretary. Can’t say it has been exactly a blast, though.

It’s been hella stressful trying to juggle the work at the office and the work on the streets at night. I’m surprised we can even manage both. And in case you are wondering, Fog went to work for a bigger firm, and Karen is working at the Bulletin. They seem happier at least, which is both good and bad. And I say bad because then it means they weren’t happy working with us anymore. Or with Matt, actually. Such a shame, really.

Even if they both knew about Murdock being Daredevil, doesn’t mean he regularly kept them in the loop about what was going on. He only does that with me, because we live together and because we are partners as well. Maybe I would have eventually walked away too if I was as little informed as they were. Well, that and if I didn’t love him as I do. Anyway, it’s gonna be hard to carry on without them, but we’ll manage somehow. Who knows? Perhaps there’s still hope for reconciliation and to start working together again, in the best-case scenario.

As it is right now, we have other things to focus on, like keeping afloat this damn firm. Matt’s reliability as an attorney took a bit of a hit after the Castle fiasco, but there’s still a somewhat decent influx of clients coming relatively regularly. And the things on the streets have been quieter as of late too, which is a big bonus. After all the shit we went through this year…we really need a fucking break.

Petty crime is our best friend these days. Should be noteworthy that we aren’t the only ones dealing with it, though. There’s this new player who has been popping up more and more these last few weeks; a masked one, just like us. Really caught my attention, actually. Would like to meet him sometime. Definitely would love to see Murdock’s reaction to that, given what happened when I told him about the new “hero”.

* * *

“So, you heard about this masked hero from Queens that has been popping up a lot on the news lately?” I ask Murdock while he’s distractedly sipping his coffee. This morning is rather nice, sunny and with warm temperatures. I have been seeing all over different newspapers cover and through social media news and posts about this new guy (well, people who have encountered him say that he’s a guy) who has entered the “vigilante league” or whatever you want to call it. The important part is: there’s a new player in town. Thus, I want to know Matt’s opinion about this.

“Um, yeah, I think I heard a bit about him”, he half-mumbles with some uncertainty. “What was his name again? Spider something…” To be honest, I’m not sure if he’s legit that clueless and seemingly uninterested, or if he’s just poorly playing the part. ‘Cause seriously, there’s no way he hasn’t caught wind of it. After all, not only there’s a new vigilante popping up as of recently, but he’s been consistently getting closer and closer to what you could call “Daredevil’s territory”. And I’m not talking about strictly Hell’s Kitchen either.

“Spider-Man”, I helpfully provide, a hint of amusement carrying with my words. “The Daily Bugle is always talking smack about him, almost like it’s running a smear campaign or something”. Look, I don’t usually read that crappy tabloid-centered junket newspaper, I prefer more serious ones like the Bulletin.  _ But _ , no other print covers him as much, and I’m really intrigued about this “Spider-Guy” or whatever his name is. After all, if there’s something I really pride myself on is my knowledge of other vigilantes this city has to provide.

“You know what I think about new vigilantes showing up in the city”, he answers shortly, with a clipped tone of voice. Yeah, I know he doesn’t like ‘em. Which is kinda ironic and counterproductive, since the more help we get, the better. Guess it has to do with his masochist ethics, wanting no one else to get hurt besides himself. It’s why he fought so hard to keep me away from this lifestyle, and why he –partly– unintentionally ended up pushing Karen and Foggy away. He really needs to learn how to trust others and how to delegate responsibilities. He can’t do everything on his own.

“Yeah, yeah, I know”, I concede, humored by his grouchiness. He sounds like an old man who's annoyed at the youth and their new social conquests or something like that. “But hey, look at the bright side. At least he’s not murdering criminals”. Like  _ someone else _ we know. And I don’t even need to name him for Murdock to recognize who I’m talking about and make a face at the mention. “And it seems like he has some crazy powers too. Neat”. My last comment earns me a dry look from Matt, eyebrows raised in questioning, but I’m too excited to even care.

“If he has powers that only makes it even worse”, Matt groans with exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose while closing his eyes. “Then he becomes more dangerous to all the people involved”. I get his point, keeping in mind how some conflicts involving superheroes have gone awry. Still, the same can happen with just normal people. “What is he doing stopping common crimes anyway? I thought those superpowered people fought aliens and threats like that”, he points out in annoyance, angrily taking a bite of his toast. If he keeps going like this, he’ll choke on his own breakfast, whether he has a point or not. I better try to calm him down a bit.

“Well, luckily for us, the planet isn’t being constantly invaded by aliens”, I comment with a joking tone, although nothing could be closer to the truth. We  **are** lucky to not have a repeat of “The Incident” every other month or so. “So, it’s nice to see that instead of sitting on his ass like the rest of the Avengers, this guy actually goes out there to make a difference every day. Even if the work difficulty is somewhat beneath him”. He really shouldn’t be looking down on a helping hand, no matter how complicated things can turn. Looking back on this messy year, we could have definitely benefited from having more allies than enemies.

“Look, if you don’t wanna come across this guy, you better be careful. ‘Cause you’re not the only one with a preference of jumping between rooftops”, I tell Murdock after a few minutes of silence pass by between us. He’s a little tense, displeased; but then again, isn’t he always? I mean, at least the “tense” part. It takes a lot to manage to persuade him into lying back a bit and relaxing. So all I can think about when considering this Spider-Man deal is that perhaps it’ll mean less work for him. And fewer worries. He could use some of that, or a lot, actually. He deserves it.

“I think that, for all of our sakes, it’s best if I don’t encounter him”, Matt comments with a somewhat dark tone, which manages to give me goosebumps. “When I cross paths with other vigilantes, things usually don’t turn out well”. And isn’t that an understatement, considering his track record. Still, I think he’s just exaggerating. He can’t expect all his meetings with other vigilantes/heroes to go down the same unlucky path. And this masked one doesn’t have murderous intentions like the others had; don’t see why Matt has to get all threatening about it. Besides, if I were him, I wouldn’t mess with someone who actually has  _ superpowers _ . Guess we’ll have to wait and see. ‘Cause I have the feeling that such a meeting  **will** happen sometime in the future.

* * *

Tonight has been rather uneventful when it came to our routine patrol. We stopped a couple of muggins and broke some unfair fights, but nothing much happened besides that. And that's why we are heading back home as of now since there are no signs that anything major will occur and we are both pretty exhausted. It's nearing three in the morning anyway, so I think we are due to get into bed.

“Lady, wait”, Matt says as he stops abruptly, turning his head towards a different direction from where we are going. “There’s an armed robbery taking place a few blocks that way”, he announces while pointing to his right. I’m not sure how  _ he  _ knows that the robbers are armed, I just hope that it isn’t because he  **heard** shots being fired. Oh well, we’ll have to postpone our trip back home until we deal with this situation. Without saying anything, I just follow behind him as he starts to run. Hopefully, it won’t be anything major and we’ll be done in a jiffy. (Don’t like my old-timey slang? Sue me.)

As we round a corner we come to find a small fast-food restaurant from where shouts can be heard. And as we get closer to the place, doing our best to remain undetected, we manage to take a peek (well, _ I  _ do so) at the inside. There are three thugs total, wearing ski masks. One is armed with a gun, while the other two are holding knives. Great, just what we were missing tonight, some dumbasses playing big boss mafia. “So, what’s the plan, Red?” I ask with perhaps a bit more amusement than it would seem appropriate, but at this point, I don’t care enough to keep my behavior in check. I just want to go home and fall on the bed like a sack of potatoes.

Murdock’s jaw twitches after hearing my slightly playful tone of voice, but he holds his tongue and says nothing about it. “I’ll grab the men’s attention and bring them outside. You check up on the customers and crew; make sure they call the cops”, Matt instructs dutifully, already back into full vigilante mode. Without further ado, he steps into the joint and I wait until he and the goons take their fight outside; so as to not get in the middle. All I can hear are grunts, yells, and things getting smashed before the front door bursts open and a tall man comes stumbling through it. Soon enough, two more follow, and then I see Daredevil’s red profile step out onto the streets. Alright, this is my cue.

Leaving the men to fight it out –having complete trust that Matt will kick the shit out of them and leave them for the police to deal with–, I get inside the restaurant and begin to calm the terrified people that were victims of the attempted robbery. After checking that everyone is doing fine and that no one got hurt, I usher the attendants to call 911. As one of the workers follows my advice, I turn around to gauge how the fight outside is going. As it seems, Matt’s about to be done with the criminals. Good, that means we can be soon on our way. Being in this place is only making me hungrier, and thinking about food is making me even more tired.

As I turn back to see if the call has been made, I’m met with two female workers holding each a bag of food. Before I can even start processing what’s going on, both of them –soon joined by the man who called the cops– insist that I take the food as a thank you gesture on their part. I try to turn them down gently, feeling a little bad since we don’t do this job for any kind of reward. Yet when my stomach growls loudly in protest, they look at me in a way that says “just shut up and accept the food, you are clearly starving”. And they are right, given that I haven’t eaten since lunchtime today (or actually yesterday).

Thanking them profusely, I take the bags and exit the place after noticing that the four men disappeared from the entrance. Once I’m back outside (a bag of food in each hand), I follow the small trail of blood up to an alleyway just a few yards away from the fast-food place. The first thing I see upon entering the alley are the three men sitting down, unconscious and propped up against one of the walls.

The second thing I see is Murdock leaning against the opposite wall, one foot planted against the bricks behind him, and both of his arms crossed on top of his chest. He’s looking all cool and shit, and I have to admit I’m feeling a bit warmer all of the sudden. “You bought food?” Matt asks confused, sensing not only the bags I’m carrying but their contents as well.

“Nah, it was a gift from the people working at the food joint”, I explain happily, unable to contain my delight about having some food I can dig into straight away. All there’s left to do is find a quiet and desolate place where we can sit down to eat, cause these bags are definitely not making it back home. I’m about to suggest this when Murdock interrupts me, saying that I shouldn’t have accepted. “They weren’t taking a ‘no’ for an answer, Red. Besides, we are both on the verge of starvation by this point, so I see no harm in being gifted a couple of burgers”, I chide him patiently, rolling my eyes behind my mask at his admonition.

We both know that it’s too late to cook something when we get back to the apartment, and we can't just waltz into any random food place and order takeaway while wearing our suits. Getting changed into our normal clothes before going out for food is out of the question too. So, we are better off taking advantage of such an opportunity as saving a fast-food restaurant that was about to get robbed. Thankfully, my argument appears to be justification enough for Matt to not complain further and just agree with me. Still, as he peels off from the brick wall, he starts to walk in the direction of our home. At the same time, the sound of distant sirens can be heard.

“Hey, I was thinking, maybe we can make a little stop at a nearby rooftop and dine there?” I ask in hopes that he’ll take me up on my offer. He stops dead in his tracks and turns around to stare at me. “I mean, I don’t think we’ll manage to make it back before I pass out. I haven’t eaten since lunch, and neither have you”. It seems that his hunger is getting to him because he doesn’t even try to fight me on this. Instead, he just starts to “look” for a roof we can use to sit down in peace and wolf down our burgers.

“There’s an empty building around the corner. It has easy access to the roof”, Murdock says with what sounds like relief, quickly guiding me towards said building. When we get to the abandoned place, we quickly climb our way to the top and find a nice place where to sit. Since it’s quite late and most people that live on this street are asleep –according to Matthew–, as well as this building being the tallest among the other, we sit on the ledge facing the roof across the street. No one should be able to get a clear view of us up here. And even if they did, they would just see two vigilantes. Since the lower half of our faces aren’t covered by our masks, we don’t need to take them off to eat. And now, we can finally enjoy the night air and the serene evening.

Although, now that I think of it, this scenario reminds me of something else. And no, I don’t mean that date I had with Matt the night I lost my virginity (which was an awesome night anyway). It was the last date we had, a couple of weeks back, one that only happened because of my stubborn disobedience. You see, it all started with me being bored and wanting to learn some skateboarding tricks.

* * *

You might be wondering (or maybe not, but I feel like talking about this, so bear with me), what do I do with my time besides working for N&M and patrolling? Well, let me tell you then! Besides reading whatever I can get my hands on, keeping the apartment clean (which has been a mighty feat this past year considering how many times it got messed up), and exercising until I can no longer stand up? I picked up skateboarding.

I know, I know, fucking odd thing to choose out of the million things there are, but I got my reasons, pal. I don’t just find a physical challenge in it, but a mental one as well. Also, I don’t think this activity is very dissimilar to practicing martial arts. Both of them require constant repetition of a certain movement and action, not only in order to learn it but to master it as well. They require compromise, patience, and persistence. And they both ask of me to accustom my body to move in otherwise “uncommon” ways.

If you are asking yourself what place I chose to do it, let me tell you that I couldn’t do it inside the apartment, of course. And since at the time I began I was under strict instructions –from Matt’s part– to “stay in”, I decided to go up to the roof. There, no one bothers me and I have plenty of space. Only setback is the weather, whenever it rains I have to stay inside.

But apart from that, it’s perfect. I don’t disturb anyone and no one disturbs me. And since I never planned on actually getting to ride the board (which, by the way, I got as a generous gift from Elektra after I mentioned I wanted to have a try at skateboarding), I didn’t worry about doing that on the rooftop. I wanted to focus on landing tricks, nothing more.

Both sports also demand a high level of concentration and precision when it comes to getting the timing right. So, I think it was a great idea to complement the one I do for need with one I do for fun. It’s not only fun, but it serves to complement my martial arts skills. At least it feels that way to me. And I think Matt commented one time about me having improved or something when we were training together. I don’t want to brag or anything, but after spending so much time at it, I think I actually got rather good at it.

But the kick is, I’m about to unveil my newly perfected skill to Murdock. As soon as he gets back to the apartment, I’ll drag his ass up here and show him what I have been learning. Although, my plan doesn’t stop  **there** . Okay, hear me out. I have this theory, right? That given Matt’s enhanced senses and his vast knowledge of martial arts, he could actually be not only able to pull off these tricks but to  _ nail  _ them with relative ease. He has the physical prowess and enough space awareness to synchronize correctly his body to the board.

Like, seriously, think it through for a moment. Most skaters, even pro ones, look down at their boards when doing tricks, ‘cause they need that visual confirmation of where the board is and in what position. Matt would just  **_feel_ ** the board, so getting the timing right to land on it would be easier for him than for me. Speaking of that, though, I better get down and wait for him, ‘cause he should get here any s– Oh, I think I heard the door being opened. Wish me luck!

––––––––––––––––––––

Whoops, sorry for the little le time skip there, got distracted by talking to Matt and having an early dinner. Anyway, it’s showtime, baby! I told Murdock all about my skateboarding exploits and he didn’t even attempt to lecture me or seem otherwise displeased! He actually looks interested in seeing (well, you know what I mean) what I have learned so far. That’s great, better than expected, actually. I had like this irrational fear that he would deem it silly and look down upon it, but it’s not the case! Alright, now I have to do my best to impress him.

As soon as we both climb the stairs to the roof, I grab my board (which I left up here when I went downstairs) and make quick work of going through all the tricks I learned and I’m confident enough to pull off. “Gotta admit that I’m impressed, sweetheart. You don’t only have talent, but a lot of determination. And it shows for sure”. Matt’s words of praise are music to my ears, and I almost tackle him to the ground with the surprise hug I give him. Although, considering his enhanced senses, I doubt it was much of a surprise, to begin with.

Now’s my chance to get him to agree to a little challenge I’ve been having in mind for the last couple of weeks. All I have to do is start with a simple question. “Thanks, it means a lot to me. But I really want to know, though, have you ever ridden a skateboard before?” I’m pretty sure the answer to that one is ‘no’. Then again, like a kinder egg, Murdock is always full of surprises, so you never really know. Still, I hope this bait is enough to lure him into my trap.

“No, I wasn’t into any sports as a kid, really”, Matt explains a bit awkwardly, although I’m not sure why. “And training with Stick doesn’t count, of course”. Yeah, definitely. And even when I get that he probably didn’t have the time or the interest to do any after the accident and his father’s death, I’m surprised that he didn’t do any before then either. It’s easy to guess why he didn’t after going blind since, although it would seem unlikely for him to pick any sport –especially skateboarding–, he couldn’t really enjoy it while having to constantly watch out to not give away the fact that he sees more than he should be able to.

Must be really stressful to be acting like a “normal” blind person all the time. Can’t really imagine it, so I have the utmost respect for him and all other visually impaired people. But going back to the skate thing… “How about you try it now, then? See how you like it, give it a shot”, I encourage excitedly, hoping that he’ll go along with my plan. “I know you might not think of it as true, but I really believe you could be quite good at it if you just only try it out”. Enhanced sense, good reflexes, and peak physical conditions (thanks to his martial arts background), what else could he need to be successful at it?

Naturally, though, Murdock starts refusing instantly, saying that it would be silly for him to try something like this and that having his heightened senses wouldn’t make him a pro at it straight away. Well, I disagree wholeheartedly, sir. So, this is my chance to dare him to try it. “At least a couple of tricks that I already showed you, and if it’s all for nothing then we’ll leave it”, I tell him pleadingly, trying my best to convince him. He hums noncommittally and his jaw twitches for an instant. Alright, he’ll need to be persuaded a little further, it would seem.

It takes me a short while but I finally manage to get him to agree to try a few tricks. And after I show him the basics and he gets comfortable atop the board, it’s practically smooth sailing from there. If it weren’t ‘cause Tony Hawk is like fifty-something years old, I would find it ridiculous and hilarious that Matt is trying and nailing skateboarding tricks like he was in his teens or twenties.

And I mean, sure, he fails a couple of times, but that’s it,  _ a couple of times _ . Whether I failed hundreds of times, it only takes him a few tries to land the tricks decently if not perfectly. Okay, fine, this was my idea, but what the actual fuck? I didn’t expect him to be this  **good** so fast. Damn it, now the competition I had in mind is gonna get a lot tougher. Whatever, in the end I know I’ll win one way or another.

“You’re not bad at it, after all. Just like I predicted”, I chime in after he lands a kickflip for the second time. “What about a game of S.K.A.T.E., though?” My question catches his full attention, obviously, as he doesn’t have a clue what I’m talking about. Still, after I explain the game to him, he remains unconvinced. By the way, the game is simple: it’s a skateboarding tricks competition. The person who fails the most times replicating someone else’s trick of choice gets a letter. When you get all the letters (usually the ones in the word “skate”, that's why it’s called that way), you lose. So, this should be an easy win for me. Because despite Murdock’s talent, I have way more experience and practice at this.

However, seeing that he’s still hesitant about it, I suggest that whoever wins the game will get to choose the location and activity of our next date. That’s a great price if you ask me, especially since we don't get to go out on actual dates that often. Always buried in work for cases or patrolling, we barely leave the apartment whenever we get a hold of some free time to spend doing whatever we want. Usually, we just stay in and take the opportunity to get some good rest. But even if that alone sounds tempting enough, Matt isn’t giving in yet. Guess I’ll have to use my last resort: childish taunting.

“I think you are just too scared to fail to even try it”, I taunt smugly, smirking at the fact that for once I have the upper hand. Matt is an expert martial artist, as well as a genius defense attorney. I only had ballet going for me, which of course we could never even compete at. But now at least there’s something that gets us closer to even ground. Because despite not knowing anything about it, I’m sure he could get real good at it and fast if he ever so desires. So I better take my chances while I can beat him.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand me, sweetheart”, he retorts with such loving condescending that it makes me want to shut him up with a kiss. After all, sassy Murdock is one of my weaknesses. And whenever he displays utter confidence about something, I just melt on the inside. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed when you see I’m better at it than you are”. We are getting cocky now, aren’t we, Matthew? Okay, sure, whatever makes you feel better about your imminent defeat! I will crush him at this, I know.

“Seriously, how fucking smug can you get?” I ask, incredulous at the gal of this man. Guess it has to do with either being a lawyer or a vigilante; maybe both, because I refuse to believe that any normal person can be so much of a conceited bastard. I still love him, though. And just like I said before, despite irking me a lot I like this side of him.

“Very, when provoked”, he says with a more serious, almost deadly tone of voice, while taking a few steps closer. Oh my, is that a threat? Are we gonna end up fucking on the rooftop again, like the first time we had sex? Damn, what a lovely memory that is; wouldn’t mind reliving it. I just fucking love it when he “looks down” on me, makes me feel all bothered and hot. If he just asked me right now to get on my knees, I would yeet the fucking board over the edge of the roof before sucking his d– “So, are we going to do this or what?”

I suppose he ends up agreeing because of the combination of taunting and the reward for the winner, although I’m sure the latter one played a bigger part in his decision. It wouldn’t shock me to learn that he’s adamant to win the opportunity to dictate how our next date is going to play out. And since he’s still a noob, I grant him a total of three attempts before giving him a letter; unless he lands the trick before using all three tries, of course, then it’s no letter whatsoever.

Yet I guess I was perhaps a tad too confident in my skills. Or, more accurately, I underestimated Murdock too much. Because in the end, he practically hands me my ass after he crushes me at the game. The bastard managed to get me to take all the letters! And even when he didn’t get a clean win, he just got  _ four  _ letters. He beat me by  a letter . That’s not even the more outrageous part, though, but the fact that he used my own failed tricks to win. After he depleted his short list of recently learned tricks, he started to attempt those that I hadn’t shown him but that I tried for the game. How did he even pull that off?! I still don’t get it. Fuck, I can’t believe I lost like this. It’s fucking humiliating.

Anyway, I lost fairly and I insisted on this, so I don’t get to complain about it. Better to suck it up and start working on my other plan. Because, after all, this was all a big ruse in order to arrange a surprise date for us. I already had a place in mind I would choose if I won. And despite wanting to honor our agreement, I’ll have to betray him this one time. In the end, it will be for the better and he might even be grateful for the deceit.

A couple of months back I asked Foggy what Matt’s favorite place in the city was, wanting to take him there on a date. I couldn’t obviously ask Murdock directly, ‘cause he would get suspicious and eventually would’ve found out. Also, I wanted to get an honest answer, and I doubted he would give me one. That’s why I went to Foggy, figuring out that he would know (given that he was Matt’s best and oldest friend) and that he would mind sharing the knowledge with me.

That’s why I’ll have to betray his trust and manipulate him, in order to get him to come with me to the top of the Chrysler Building. I reckon he’ll be upset with me at first for lying and disregarding our agreement, but in the end, he’ll just relax and enjoy the date. He might even thank me for my thoughtful gesture. ‘Cause, as far as I know, he hasn’t been there in a long time, so he may be feeling a little nostalgic already, thinking about visiting again soon.

* * *

As you might be imagining, we did have that date, and all those things I foresaw about how he would react ended up coming true. He was pissed, but then it passed. We had a great time up there –courtesy of Elektra, who facilitated the access–; a memorable date for  _ sure _ . And even when the scenarios aren’t really comparable, this instance of eating burgers atop an abandoned building reminds me a bit of that time. Still, I think the comfortable silence is getting to me a little bit by now. Might start saying some random bullshit any second now…

“Have you ever wondered if the accident that gave you your enhanced senses gave powers to something else, maybe down the drains?” I ask Matt out of the blue. Whenever silence settles over us, my mind tends to wander into dangerous waters. It really doesn’t take much boredom to get me to think about all kinds of nonsense. “Like, I don’t know, crocodiles or turtles”. Those can be found in the sewers, right? I mean, maybe the alligators’ one was more of a myth, but I think I heard once of a young boy who accidentally dropped some baby turtles down a drainage. Although, I can recall from where or whom I heard it.

“What?” Murdock asks in utter confusion, probably not only at the content of the question, but at its sudden appearance as well. He should be used to this by now, I would presume, though I guess he still gets startled by it. Whatever, it was just a dumb question my mind came up with amidst its boredom. Nothing truly vital, after all. And not wanting to dwell with the conversation that could sprout from this bizarre topic, I just tell him to nevermind me. So, we finish our dinner in more comfortable silence.

By the time we are both finished, we get up and neatly pack our trash in order to dispose of it later. I begin to walk in the direction of the fire escape ladder I used to climb my way here, but I stop as soon as I notice Murdock isn't moving. When I ask what's wrong, he quietly tells me something is coming our way. It's moving quickly, swinging between the buildings.

Well, it's either Tarzan or… Oh yeah, there  **_he_ ** is. Motherflippin’ Spider-Man. I make mention of what I'm seeing, in order to clue Matt in, but the only response I get is the visible tension that takes hold of his body. Well, shit. This could end badly. Yet before either of us can say or do anything else. The masked hero does a cool-looking backflip and lands sturdily in front of us. Man, what an entrance.

“Holy shit! You are Daredevil, right?” Spider-Man says as soon as he recognizes Matt, his voice sounding way higher and younger than I thought. Is he just a kid or what’s happening here? “Gotta admit it’s an honor to meet you. You are a true inspiration to me”, the young hero says with awe and pride ringing in his voice. If I weren’t so conscious about being as new as him in this whole vigilante “game” –and obviously less known–, I would be offended for not being included in that statement. I want to be an inspiration too, god damn it! Alright, alright, I’ll chill, you don’t have to snark at me, my friend. I’m well aware of my position and place.

“Can’t say the same. You are stepping into foreign territory here”, Matt warns with a dangerous edge to his gravelly voice. He’s stating his dislike of the situation and the presence of the other vigilante. Still, I think he’s overreacting a bit, without even adding that he’s being rude. There’s no need to be so hostile towards him, he seems rather friendly and inclined to be harmless around us. He said it himself, he’s happy to meet us (well, Murdock, but whatever).

“Don’t take it personally, man”, I say apologetically, seeing how Matt’s comment affected him. “He’s wary of all ‘superheroes’ ever since the incident that destroyed like half the city”. It’s completely understandable, though. I mean, who wouldn’t, right? Cause even if it wasn’t the Avengers’ fault, they were involved in the whole nefarious affair. More like a series of unfortunate events that lead up to a fucking alien invasion.

“I get it, but I’m not like that”, the Spider-Guy says with conviction. Which lasts approximately about two seconds before he starts cowering at Murdock’s glare. Even when it’s hidden behind the mask you can’t tell it looks menacing. And Matt must really distrust him to react like this. “I-I mean, we are not really that different. Our suits are even similar!” Spider-Man points out in vain since Matt cannot see that. But, of course, the hero doesn’t  _ know  _ that.

“Similar?” Matthew asks out loud and as soon as the words leave his mouth I can tell not only that he didn’t mean to speak, but that he instantly realized his mistake as well. Oh boy, here we go. If the other masked vigilante is as clever as you need to be to succeed in this kind of “job”, he’ll notice the odd slip as well. Now, how are we gonna explain  **that** ? From what I can see of Matt’s partially visible face, he hasn’t got a clue either. Way to go, Murdock!

“Yeah, both have red in them?” The guy half states and half asks as if Murdock’s confusion is making him insecure about his own ability to see. “Can’t you see it?” He inquires incredulously, and isn’t that the million-dollar question right now? A 50/50 one at that, since he obviously would either be able or unable to. And it’s obvious that the other man is waiting to hear a “yes” for an answer. Unfortunately for us, the answer is the only other possible one. Even if Matt lied and said “yes”, the younger male might be cunning enough to ask for proof. And if he asks Matt point-blank about what color do their suits have in common, I’m not sure I could tell him “red” without being caught.

Naturally, Murdock says nothing, because he knows that whatever he ends up answering won’t lead him down a good road. So, instead, he just decides to forego whatever responsibility to answer has been bestowed upon him and remain silent. I’m sure he doesn’t think that will fix the problem he unwittingly got himself into, but then again he’s used to doing this kind of stuff. Perhaps I’ll have to take over the conversation from this point on. Otherwise, Matt might go from defensive to straight-up aggressive. And no one here wants this chance meeting to turn into a brawl.

“Wait, you actually can’t? Are you blind or something?” The two questions are made in a state of joking disbelief, but as soon as he notices Matt’s expression and extended silence, the truth dawns on him. “Oh my God, you are?!” Now his tone carries a mix of excitement and confusion like he just discovered something weird and fascinating. Which he kinda did, though, but he’s making it sound more like he found a mummy instead of meeting another enhanced human such as himself. Guess this is my cue to step in.

“And you are just a kid”, Matt points out sharply, not missing a beat. And probably that last part is literal since he usually gauges a person’s age by listening to their heartbeats. And although I’m no enhanced-senses expert about it, I think the boy’s voice was rather a give away to his true youthfulness. Can’t help but feel a bit bad for him, though, carrying such a burden from a young age. I know from personal experience how hard it can be.

“Wha– How do you know that?!” The kid asks in shock and horror, noticing a little too late that he should have tried to deny it straight away. Welp, it’s too late for that now. “I mean, no I’m not!” But he still attempted it, though, and pretty badly at that. He even tried to make his voice sound deeper, and that just made it more obvious, to be honest. It’s best to break the bubble now before he makes things worse for himself. He seems the type to be awful at bullshiting and bluffing, rather unintentionally revealing stuff he didn’t mean to.

“Too late,  _ kid _ . He might not be able to  **see** , but he can  **_tell_ ** that you are young”, I tell the Spider-Kid, who's looking terrified at this point. Can’t help but feel sorry for him. “It’s okay, we are not going to judge you, right?” Before Matt can even begin to object, I squeeze his shoulder as hard as I can so that he gets the message to shut the fuck up. Of course, he would come up with a fucking lecture about the dangers of fighting crime at such an age. He gave me a thousand of those already.

“Well, if you can’t see me, I guess it’s safe for me to take this thing off then”. Oh, fuck. Don’t tell me he’s actually going to… Ah, too late for that, the dumbass just fucking pulled his mask off to reveal his teenager face to me. And he even sounded so confident before doing it. The fuck is he thinking? I know that he just discovered that Matt is blind, but he can’t really believe that– He thinks I’m blind as well, doesn’t he? The poor idiot, he’s going to have the shock of his life now. And there’s no easy way to break the news to him either.

The kid has short, wavy brown hair, as well as brown eyes. Gotta admit that he’s got a cute face, and if I was younger, I might crush on him a little. Although, there's something a little odd-looking about his mouth. Gives me the absurd impression that he could be hiding a tiny toad inside. Yeah, I have no idea either; my mind’s just weird, but you already know that. Anyway, he’s a normal-looking teenager.

“Yeah, about that, I don’t know what you were thinking, but you shouldn’t have assumed that we are both blind”. Oh, man, seeing the realization dawn on him is as hilarious as painful. Poor kid looks like I just told him his parents are dead… Better to make it clear enough and not leave any room for doubt. “Cause I’m not”. The look on his face is priceless, and if his fear wasn’t so palpable I would dare to laugh at his reaction. But I’m more tactful than that.

“What?! Are you kidding me?” He asks no one in particular –or probably just himself– in a desperate voice. Both of his hands are tugging harshly at his hair, and he’s looking beyond frustrated and afraid. I really hope he’s not thinking that we are gonna out him or something. Cause we are definitely  _ not  _ going to do that. “How stupid can I be? Oh my God, I can’t believe this!” Yeah, he’ll have a full mental breakdown if I don’t reassure him this fucking instant.

“Hey, chill out, just cause I have seen your face doesn’t mean shit”, I tell him, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. I really don’t want to deal with a kid having a full-blown panic attack on top of a random building. “I still don’t know who you are, and even if I did, I wouldn’t snitch on you”. ‘Cause I have a code I adhere to, like most masked vigilantes. After all, I wouldn’t want the same to be done to me. “Don’t worry about it, we are good at keeping secrets. We  **have** to”. Aren’t we good at that, my friend? Too bad he can’t see me winking, though.

“So you really won’t tell anyone?” He asks with so much hope in his eyes that even if I was a supervillain I would have trouble telling him no. Damn, the kid really knows how to pull off some good puppy eyes. I should ask him to teach me such a fine technique, so I can use it on Murdock when he gets too stubborn on certain things. Still, I’m not sure what the teen is fearing most: his enemies catching wind of his identity, or his billionaire mentor finding out he’s  that stupid. Hard to trust a kid who would reveal his identity to two strangers, even if said strangers were both blind.

And sure, it probably was an honest mistake. Kid realized Murdock is blind and thought I was blind as well. That would have made sense in his mind, I guess, if he went by the stereotype that blind people date mostly other blind people instead of “normal” people. Nevertheless, I don’t think that alone excuses his train of thought. I mean, how fucking great would need to be the odds in order for  _ two  _ people to be blind but have enhanced senses. I know “super” humans, or whatever you want to call it, are a thing, but they aren't exactly a bunch either.

“Swear on my parents’ graves. You’re safe, kid”. Okay, that might be a bit dark. I don’t want to bring the mood down, it just came out of nowhere. Well, it’s out there now, nothing I can do to take it back. Hopefully, the kid won’t be discouraged by my gloomy comment, and will just concentrate on the reassuring part.

“Thanks… Wait, you lost your parents too?” Oh boy, I did not see that one coming  _ at  _ **all** . The kid is an orphan as well? Damn, that really sucks. What’s up with vigilantes/superheroes and dead parents? It’s a little disturbing, to be honest. Although, there might be an argument to be made about criminals/supervillains too. Guess we are all just fucked up in a way. It’s unavoidable, especially in this day and age.

“Too? Oh, sorry to hear that”, I tell him honestly, knowing perfectly well how horrible it is to lose one's parents. Even if I don’t know the exact circumstances that lead to his parents’ deaths, doesn’t make it any easier for him or better than my situation. No matter how, just the fact that it happened is bad enough. “But yes, I have, and he has as well”, I say while pointing at Murdock, who makes a face at being “outed” like that as well. He really hates to share any kind of info with strangers. “We are all orphans here”. Another thing the three of us have in common, and something we can all bond over.

“Damn, I have so many questions I want to ask…” Spider-Man says, looking a bit conflicted and excited. I can relate, I have questions too. I mean, from what I know about him, he has some crazy powers. Would love to know how he got them. Since I have no powers or enhancements or anything like that, I find it fascinating. And this actually brings me back to the time when I first heard about Matt’s accident. I felt really bad for him, but at the same time, I was so curious.

“You can, actually”, I offer without worry, even when I can feel Matt tensing up right beside me. Amazing how I can tell that without having to look at him. “It’s an entirely different matter if we decide to answer them”, I add to soothe Murdock’s worries a little. “But maybe, if we not only agree on secrecy but on reciprocity, we might be more generous. Information wise”. I’m so good at negotiating, right? And it’s fair too! He gets to know something, and we get to know something as well.

“Lady, wait–” Matt begins to object but I silence him by raising a hand. Thank God he actually decides to keep quiet and let me have this. Seriously, though, this could be beneficial to us. If I play my cards right, I might get more out of him than what I have to give in return. If the kid isn’t too clever, he won’t even notice. And given that he already revealed his face to me, I’m positive we won’t have too much trouble keeping most intel to ourselves. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

“Chill, Red, I won’t go into too much detail, nor reveal any trade secrets. Just the basics”. Does he even have to try to stop me? How little does he trust me, after all? He should have more faith in me; he knows I wouldn’t betray him like that. “So, whatcha say, Spider- _ Man _ ?” I ask with emphasis, hoping that the teenager will agree to spill the beans. As I said, I’m not going to blackmail him or anything, I’m just curious. And perhaps, it might come in handy in the future, whenever we need the help of someone whose abilities are above ours in the power hierarchy.

“Deal”, he says with confidence, brimming with barely contained excitement. I suppose he wasn’t kidding about looking up to Murdock. Speaking of him, he isn’t looking anymore relaxed, despite my assurance that I won’t be too liberal when sharing details about us. Well, I’ll have to be patient then. Hopefully, I’ll be able to coax him into a calmer state once he sees for himself that this is just a friendly chat between fellow heroes.

“So, why don’t we sit down for a bit to chat more comfortably?” I suggest, given the anxiety radiating from the Spider-Kid and the tension that Matt is exuding. Unfortunately, despite how willing and grateful the teen appears –relieved by my proposition–, Murdock looks more reluctant. He clearly feels rather defensive about the whole situation, being caught off guard by the young hero. Still, he doesn’t have to be all hostile about it, like we playin’ “bad cop, good cop” or something.

“We are busy, Lady”, he rebuts easily and quickly, sounding rather harsh and severe. That’s his “commanding/no-nonsense” tone that he uses whenever he’s done with my bullshit (I also find it hilarious that he refused to even call me by the first letter of “vengeance”; so stubborn). And I would usually back down, but it’s not just me and him up here; we have a guest with us, and I will not stand to be “put back in my place” in front of him! No-uh, we’re gonna be nice and sit for a little chit chat with the apparent new addition to the Avengers. Although I’m sure he’s just like a trainee or something like that.

“Oh, come on! It’s a slow night, we were about to turn in anyway”, I chide him gracefully, letting show my good humor in order to calm the worried kid. A tad more of stress and he might start shaking, the poor thing. “Besides, we shouldn’t let pass an opportunity like this”. Seriously, though, we are talking to someone with  _ actual  _ **powers** . And yeah, Matt’s heightened senses are dope as hell, but this boy can  **_stick_ ** to walls and shit. So, I’m definitely staying to talk, even if Daredevil decides to leave.

“I got bit by a radioactive spider. Started stopping petty crime around my neighborhood and then got recruited by Tony Stark. I also make my own webs with chemicals”. The Spider-Kid finishes summarizing his story with an expectant look on his face, awaiting judgment or appraisal. Recruited by Stark himself? Wow, that’s hella cool. I didn’t even get recruited by Murdock; I had to barge into the world of vigilantism all by myself and against his wishes. Well, we can’t all get things handed to us. Sometimes, we have to fight for what we want. Now, to fulfill our part of the deal…

“Unhappy accident with chemicals”, I simply explain, not going into details as per what I promised Murdock. Who, by the way, keeps eerily quiet. It’s almost as if he wasn’t here at all. “You know, God gives and takes and all that jazz”. I can’t help but make the cruel joke, given Matt’s religiousness. I’m sure I’ll get scolded for it later, but I don’t care. “He’s blind but got all his other senses super-enhanced”.

“So, does that mean you don’t need to use a cane?” The Spider-Kid asks with uncertainty, trying to understand how it all works with the little information I gave him. I’m not telling further, so he better figures it out for himself if he really wants to know. At least it seems that he can put two and two together, so that might make things easier for me. It’s one thing to say something, and another thing to just answer yes or no to the question being asked by him. Doesn’t mean I’ll say more than what I’m allowed, though.

“Yup, although he uses one anyway when outside or in front of other people”. Which, have to admit, it’s kinda sexy. I know, I know, might be a weird and fucked up fetish of mine, but seeing him pretend like that is a bit of a turn on for me. Do you think I should tell Matt about it? Well, it’s a matter for another time anyway. “You know, to play pretend and keep up appearances”. As we all do, to one extent or another. I’m sure this teenage hero has some pretenses to keep as well, among family and friends.

“That’s so cool, although it seems a bit impractical”, the kid comments with a keen sense that it’s only developed by experiencing the same kind of struggles. He must find himself in that very same position quite often if he’s asking that question. Wonder if he keeps the suit on his backpack or something, or if he constantly wears it under his regular clothes. “What happens when you hear someone in trouble while you are walking down the street? Do you go with the cane or…?” Oh my God, I can’t believe he’s asking that. I can finally vent out my frustrations!

“Ugh, don’t even get me started on that”, I tell him with such an exasperated tone that I manage to startle both Matt and the teen. Sorry not sorry, I just have a bone to pick about this one. “He throws it in the nearest trash can while walking down an alleyway”. Like it was nothing more than an empty water bottle or some other shit. He just discards it like nothing and then parkours away through the scaffolding and rooftops! “I tell you, the number of times I had to retrieve that goddamn thing… Disgusting”. Seriously, fucking appalling.

And the worst part isn’t even that, some of the times. Not only does he ditch his cane, but he also ditches me as well! Leaves me by the sidewalk or the same alley where he discards the goddamn cane. He knows that I can’t keep up with him like that yet, so he takes advantage of the opportunity in order to leave me behind and keep me from getting involved. It’s fucking maddening, I tell you! And only if I’m lucky enough do I get to follow him, but that doesn’t happen often.

Whatever, it just pisses me off, especially cause I have complained about it, and he still does it whenever he can. Since Foggy and Karen left, I have been working more with Matt, meaning that we spend even more time together. That means that we walk through the streets during daylight practically every day, which ends up with him splitting more often. Guess all I can do to fix that problem is improving my parkour skills.

“Why not just get a new one then?” The boy asks with open curiosity and takes me away from my internal rant. I look at him, noticing that I had been staring off into nothingness, and realize that there’s no sarcasm in his voice. He’s genuinely asking out of naivety, not malice. Should be expected, perhaps, since he works with Stark (who’s one of the richest persons on the planet) and The Avengers. But despite the nice suits we wear, Murdock and I don’t have that kind of budget. More often than not, and especially nowadays, we tend to struggle financially, even if it doesn’t seem like it.

“Don’t know about you, kid, with your fancy suit. But we can’t exactly afford a new cane –or anything else new, for that matter– for every time he decides to ditch it”. Like, for real, imagine if Matt had to buy a new cane every time he ditches the one he already has –which happens every other week on average–. We would be broke as fuck. And that’s probably the reason why I don’t give Murdock too much shit about leaving behind the damn thing… He could be more considerate, though, and just give it to me before bolting for the nearest roof. That will be a talk for another day.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t want to presume anything”, Spider-Man apologizes instantly, looking flustered and embarrassed. “I get it, though. I lost many backpacks in a similar way, and I don’t have that kind of money either”, he reveals with a downcast expression, probably feeling lame for financially struggling as well. Working with people like Stark, who has about everything, must be really hard at times.

“And the suit isn’t even really mine. Mr. Stark gave it to me”. So he really has it that bad then, huh? Probably got a previous outfit that was haphazardly put together, made out of some clothes he had. Been there, done that, so I know how bad and belittling it can feel. Besides, losing a  _ whole  _ backpack, with his clothes and other things, more than once? That’s terrible.

“So you’re in league with Stark and his band of misfit heroes, then, huh?” I ask out of curiosity, wanting to know more about the famous superheroes. I mean, we got literally an insider here to tell us all the gossip and secret intel! I’m kidding; I would just like to know if they are assholes while away from the spotlight or genuinely good people.

“Sick. What are the Avengers like?” And just like that, the kid begins to spill the beans about how great his teammates are (although he remarks that he isn’t an official Avenger yet, but that he’s working his way to becoming one someday). He seems to truly respect them and care about them, and he doesn’t give me the vibes of a liar, so I trust his judgment of character. Okay, fine, not completely, but it’s something.

* * *

We kept talking about the Avengers and our vigilante life for a little while, but eventually, we all had to head home. Matt got especially insistent on that after the third time I yawned. We bid farewell to Spider-Man, who swung his way through buildings until he disappeared from sight. Only then did we make our way down the abandoned building to head back home. We didn’t say anything until we got back to the apartment, and even then we exchanged few words. We were so fucking tired by that point.

“Well, if we’re lucky, he won’t rat us out to his superhero friends”. I tell Matt with a cheerful (but sleepy) tone of voice, trying to soothe his worries a little bit. As soon as we walked in, he made me aware of his worries about the Avengers coming to knock on our door Unfortunately, my attempt to soothe him doesn’t seem to work. Oh well, knowing him, there’s almost nothing I can do to appease his mind at a time like this. Just one thing comes to mind, but we'll need to get home first… And maybe just wait until tomorrow (rather today) morning since we are both fucking exhausted anyway.

Five minutes go by in which we get changed and get settled in bed, saying our goodnights and cuddling with each other. Sleep takes ahold of Murdock first, made obvious by the slow rise and fall of his chest. For me, it’ll take a little longer since I still have some adrenaline running through my system left from earlier. Meeting Spider-Man surely was a big deal, at least for me. I still can’t quite believe it, but it did happen. Makes me wonder what other things will happen in the future. After all, we had a pretty crazy year. Serial killers and ninjas; new friends and old friends. A lot of pain as well as pleasure, and a lot of growth for both of us.

I don’t know what the future holds for us, I can only hope that it’s better than being kidnapped by a psycho or a dominatrix. Either way, I’m sure I’ll let you know all about it as soon as it happens. But who knows, might take a while until something interesting enough to retell comes up in my messed up life as a New York vigilante alongside Daredevil. Hope you’ll do fine in the meantime, my dear friend. This has been a lovely ride to share with you despite all the drama and hardships. But don’t worry about me, I’ll get back to you eventually. For now, I’ll just go to sleep and hope for a better tomorrow to come by the time I wake up again. Cheers! And until next time.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the end...for now. I have a sequel planned, that will tackle the events of Defenders and season 3 of Daredevil. But I don't know when I'll start writing it. For now, I'll just take some time to rest from this story, and I'll focus on my other main fanfic alternate universe, a sort of continuation of A Red Star Glinting in the Night, so if you read that and want more, stay tuned. I'll upload monthly short stories relating to that. If you haven't read it but are interested go ahead, that fic is already finished. You don't need to read it to understand my upcoming uploads, but it'll add some background info. Anyway, thanks for reading this far, hope you have a good start of the new year. Until next time.


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